Sumner Wedding

May the wind be at your back. …and in your face and up your nose and through your hair and…well, you get it. The day was windy, to say the least. When I arrived at the scenic Barn at Kline’s Mill, to the view of rolling hills and 360˚ blue skies all around me, the breeze grabbed a hold of me and nearly gave me whiplash – jolted me right into photo mode quicker than my morning coffee. Good thing, too, because I was in for a photographic treat of a wedding!
This wedding marks a record for me. It was just held on November 2…which means I cranked this sucker out in a whopping two weeks! That never happens…but I couldn’t help it really. The joy of the day was so contagious it followed me home. Plugging in my camera was like opening a really awesome gift. Catie and Daniel hosted their wedding like it was their job and everything was hand touched and personalized. From the homemade wedding arch to the table settings to the wedding dress worn by Catie’s mother and grandmother to the veil that has been worn by every female in Catie’s family to the superhero undershirts worn by the groom and his men. And from the white daisies in empty chairs representing the absence of beloved family members to the superman pin on Catie’s bouquet to memorialize her father to the soil ceremony combining soil from Catie’s hometown (Sterling, VA)/Daniel’s hometown (Blacksburg, VA)/and the town they met and married (Harrisonburg VA). The ceremony included communion served to guests by the almost-bride-&-groom and the wedding cake itself was made by Catie’s aunt!  And if that’s not personal enough for you, even the meal was catered by their local favorites such as Mr. J’s Bagel and Deli and Italian Touch which also happened to be the spot of their first date. AND they had a Kline’s Dairy ice cream station with singing and dancing dippers!  Their family and friends relaxed and mingled in place of the usual pre-wedding hustle bustle almost as if they were hired to show up and look happy and help out. Talk about a good group of people to be around…I was in the right place. It was great fun to watch this day unfold through my lens and I’m excited to share these images with you.
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Amisha & Braelea

Amisha and I have scheduled half a dozen photo shoots in the passed two months but the late spring rain was not falling in our favor. When this day finally came, it was a sunshiny miracle! Braelea, her daughter, hopped out of the car saying “cheeeeese” and  flinging phrases like “Oh pickle juice!” around. She is a hoot! Her personality shouts through these images and had me smiling and oohing and EEEing all the way through the editing process. And Amisha! Not only is she gorgeous(!) but she jumped a barbed wire fence with me for a photo op. In a dress. And sandals. Ok so we switched shoes for a hot minute but she was up for it and still looked stunning standing in that wheat field. One tick, an eskimo kiss and a few rosy cheeks later, our session came to an end and we drove away smiling. bsomeIMG_7114collagebsomeIMG_7107bw

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Copyright © 2013 · Photos by Brandy Somers. All Rights Reserved · friendlycitylens.com & brandysomersphotography.com. This material may not be copied, downloaded, altered, cropped, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting my creative property.

Hughes Family

I met the Hughes’ in Dayton one evening to take some photos of their sweet little family. In the distance was a dark skyline creeping up quickly and the farther we drove toward it, the more uneasy I felt. We decided to make a last minute decision and head back to their Harrisonburg home…you know, incase the sky broke open on top of us. Luckily, their backyard is absolutely gorgeous. Green and lush and free of power lines and cityscapes. Comfortable in their own element, the children let their personalities come pouring out. Go ahead and try to get through these photos without laughing. I dare ya.
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Copyright © 2013 · Photos by Brandy Somers. All Rights Reserved · friendlycitylens.com & brandysomersphotography.com. This material may not be copied, downloaded, altered, cropped, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting my creative property.

Eliza

I’ve photographed sweet little Eliza before and she always takes a few minutes to warm up to me. I think my giant camera is a little intimidating. But it’s nothing a few baby cheetos and a juggling daddy can’t cure. I think I should just start taking this family on the road with me!
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Copyright © 2013 · Photos by Brandy Somers. All Rights Reserved · friendlycitylens.com & brandysomersphotography.com. This material may not be copied, downloaded, altered, cropped, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting my creative property. 

Zweigler Wedding

This certainly didn’t feel like a photography job. I attended this wedding because my good friend, Lisa, was marrying her love, Jim.  It was a small, intimate wedding in Lisa’s backyard barn, complete with the classiest chandelier I’ve seen in a barn to date. A wedding that required guests to shoot tequila before the ceremony began and when it ended. A wedding that left me relying on auto-focus with hopes to still capture clear images through tears of joy. Cheers to good friends and good times on sunny days. More please.

Below is a small collection of photos the bride asked me to share:
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“I love you the mostest”

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Lisa’s hands with her daughter and daughter-in-law.

Leary Reception

If you’ve ever met Brian & Reshella, you probably know that there is no better woman to handle all that is Brian than Rashella. They play off of each other so well and it is a joy to be in their presence. They tied the knot over the summer, somewhere in paradise, and had their reception at Packsaddle Ridge Golf Club. We zipped around the course on two wheels of a golf cart, laughing and snapping photos.
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Jody and Ava

This mother-daughter duo is pure entertainment. I’ve known Jody for well over 10 years and seeing her with Ava is so heartwarming. They are like two peas in a pod. You can’t tell it by the smiles in the photos but on the day of this shoot it was hot outside! By the end, Ava was ready to curl up with her mama and take a mid-day siesta.
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Laz-Dennis Engagement

A promising 60% chance of rain didn’t stop these two from making the trek from Richmond to the ‘burg. Not nobody not nohow! The grey clouds chased us, the thunder roared, and the rain did fall…but the weather forecast did not warn us of the gigantic spiders! *yehehegh* Amanda and Pete might be one of my favorite couples to shoot…and man they make me look good! So naturally loving and genuine. Who wouldn’t want to take pictures of that?
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